An Extraordinary Christmas
by BettyHall223
Summary: A woman from Jack's past returns unexpectedly and changes his and Sam's lives forever.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are not my property. No copyright infringement is intended._

Jack stared at the green traffic light. Putting down the window of his truck, he looked up the street to see why the traffic wasn't moving.

"Must be a wreck up ahead" he mumbled to himself.

Seeing a long line of vehicles and feeling cold air and snow brush against his face, he quickly raised the window. Turning up the heat a little higher, he rubbed his hands together.

He was glad to be going home after having spent the last two days and nights at the Mountain. One of his teams had run into trouble off-world and one of the men had been brought home in a body bag. He had sat in his office for a half hour, staring at a blank computer screen, trying to compose a letter to the man's family, knowing he could not tell them their relative had been killed on another planet. He could only tell them that he had given his life for his country.

Impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he turned on the wipers as snow began to accumulate on the windshield.

His thoughts turned to Sam, knowing that when he eventually did get home, she would be there waiting for him.

As he waited for the traffic to move again, he thought back over recent events.

_Shortly after he had been promoted and became commander of the base, Sam had broken her engagement to Pete and Kerry had ended their brief relationship._

_Since Sam was adjusting to her break-up with Pete and Jacob's death, he knew she needed a break so he talked Sam, Daniel and Teal'c into going with him to his cabin for some rest and relaxation._

_After being there for four days, Teal'c and Daniel decided to return to Colorado._

_As he walked into a bedroom of his cabin, he watched Daniel pack his belongings into his suitcase._

_Daniel grinned. "I've really enjoyed this. I'm glad you asked us to come. We all needed to get away."_

_He nodded his head. "It's been especially good for Sam."_

"_Jack, now is your chance."_

"_For what?"_

"_Sam. She broke her engagement because of you. You love each other so while you have this time alone, talk to her."_

_After Daniel and Teal'c had left, he and Sam spent the day at a local fair and returned to the cabin in the late afternoon. As they sat side by side on the dock, they discussed their relationships with Pete and Kerry. He confessed that he knew he would never love anyone but her and she felt the same way about him. They wanted to get married but since he was still her CO, they were willing to wait until the time was right to be together._

_Two weeks after they returned from his cabin, he sent SG-1 to a planet on what they thought would be a routine mission but it had ended badly. The team had found nothing of importance and just as Sam made the decision to return to Earth, it began to rain._

_As they hurried along, the rain came down harder. Sam had slipped and fallen down a hill and landed on her back on a sharp rock. Teal'c climbed down to get her and found her conscious but in great pain. He quickly picked her up, climbed as fast as he could back up the hill and hurried to the gate._

_He met the team as they came through the event horizon and he followed Teal'c as he hurriedly carried Sam to the infirmary._

_Dr. Brightman examined Sam and told him her condition. She had a sprained ankle, two broken ribs and a seriously damaged kidney which had to be removed._

_After Sam had spent several days in the infirmary, Dr. Brightman informed him and Sam that it was her medical opinion that now that Sam had only one kidney, she should not be allowed to go off-world any more. Sam had protested but he had agreed with Dr. Brightman that it wasn't worth risking Sam's life should she be injured again._

_After meeting with the Doctor, he had driven Sam home and they talked into the evening. They discussed what this would mean for her career now that she would no longer be allowed to travel through the gate._

_Several weeks later, Sam took part in a training exercise with General Kerrigan and a new group of cadets that were being trained for the stargate program._

_After the exercise was over, Sam and General Kerrigan met in the briefing room to give him their opinions on how well the training had gone. As they waited for him to get off the phone, Sam told General Kerrigan of her recent injury and that she was no longer allowed to go off-world._

_A few days later, Sam received a call from General Kerrigan to offer her a teaching position at the Academy. He and Sam felt it was the perfect opportunity to continue her career in a different area of the military and since she would now be out of his chain of command, they could be married._

_Sam accepted the position and their wedding had finally taken place. Mark escorted Sam down the aisle of the church, Cassie was her maid of honor and Daniel was his best man. General Hammond, General Kerrigan and many of their friends and co-workers from Stargate Command had come to the wedding. It had been a perfect day._

As he came back to the present, a smile came to his face when he thought about how happy he was to finally have Sam as his wife. It had been eight long years but their hopes of being married had finally come true.

As the traffic started to move again, he turned on the radio. A Christmas song was playing so he hummed along.

Finally arriving at home, he came inside and hung up his coat.

Coming into the living room, he could see Sam putting lights on a tree.

"Hey."

Sam turned her head and grinned. "Hi, honey."

They walked toward each other and embraced as they gave each other a long kiss.

After the kiss was over, they stayed in each other's arms as Jack glanced at the tree.

"Pretty tree."

"Thanks. I saw someone selling them at a tree lot on the way home so I stopped and bought one. When Mark and I were growing up, we put up a Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving so we could enjoy it through New Year's."

"Nice tradition."

"Yes, it is. How's everything at the Mountain?" Sam asked as they dropped their arms from each other.

Jack shook his head and sighed. "Getting back to normal but I hate writing condolence letters. It's the worst part of my job."

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"I'd rather not talk about it. How was your day?"

"It was good. I have a great group of students."

"You really enjoy teaching."

"Yeah, I do. I thought I'd miss all the excitement at the Mountain but I don't. I loved my time there and it was a great experience but it feels good to do something different."

Jack grinned. "Better than having aliens shooting at you?"

Sam smiled. "Much less dangerous than having aliens shooting at me."

Jack turned his head and sniffed. "Something smells good. What is that?"

"I'm heating cinnamon sticks on the stove. My Mom used to do that during the Christmas season. Makes the house smell good and it's a nice reminder of her."

Sam walked back to the tree as Jack's cell phone rang. He got the phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. He raised his eyebrows as Sam looked at him.

"Who is it?"

"Kerry Johnson."

Sam stood still as he answered.

"Hello."

Sam stared at Jack as she listened to the one-sided conversation.

"I'm good. How are you?"

Jack glanced at Sam.

"Yes, we got married."

Jack gazed out the window and listened for several moments.

"We could meet at the base tomorrow."

Sam slowly walked toward him as the conversation continued.

"You can't tell me over the phone?"

Jack looked at Sam. "Well . . . okay, if that's where you want me to meet you."

Jack went into the kitchen, opened a drawer and picked up a piece of paper and a pen.

"What's the address and how do I get there?"

Sam watched as Jack wrote down the directions.

"I'll see you then. Bye."

Jack put the pen back in the drawer and his phone in his pocket as he looked at the piece of paper.

Sam stared at Jack. "What did she want?"

Jack shook his head. "I have no idea. She said it's very important and she needs to talk some place more private than the Mountain. She's renting a house and wants me to come there. She sounded nervous."

Sam frowned. "Interesting."

Jack shrugged. "Maybe she's making a career change and needs a reference or something."

"I don't think she'd need to see you in private for something like that, Jack. You should go find out what's going on."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jack opened his eyes, turned over on his back and stared at the ceiling. He had not slept well, wondering about Kerry's phone call.

It had been over a year since she had come into his office and encouraged him to take some action regarding Sam. Since then, he read Kerry's CIA reports that came across his desk but he had not seen her.

When he had spoken with her yesterday, she told him that Paul Davis had informed her that he and Sam had married and she seemed genuinely pleased for them.

He got out of bed and wandered into the kitchen. Sam was sitting at the table reading something on her laptop as she ate a toasted bagel and sipped a glass of orange juice.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Morning, Jack."

He walked to her and kissed her. "Morning, honey. You're up early."

"Just going over some notes for my first class. You must not have slept well. You look a little tired."

Jack sat down at the table. "This thing with Kerry has me stumped."

"Well, the only way you're going to find out what's going on is to go see her."

"I could wait until you're finished with your classes and you could come with me."

Sam shook her head. "You can do this by yourself."

Sam glanced at the kitchen clock and closed her computer. "I need to shower and get dressed. I want to get to my classroom and put some notes on the blackboard before my students arrive."

Sam stood up from the table so Jack did too. As she walked past him, he grabbed her hand.

"Are you really okay with me going to see Kerry?"

Sam looked into his eyes and squeezed his hand. "I love you, Jack, and I trust you."

Jack put his arms around her and gave her a hug. "I love you too."

**~oOo~**

Jack drove slowly down the street and looked for the house number that Kerry had given him. Seeing the number on the mailbox post, he turned into the driveway and parked his truck. He got out, walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

When the door opened, he came face to face with a woman he thought he would never see again. He was surprised to see that she had lost weight and didn't look well and she had also cut her hair short.

Kerry smiled. "Hello, Jack."

"Hi."

"Come in."

Jack entered the house and she closed the door.

"Thank you for coming. Let me take your coat."

Jack took off his coat, she hung it on a coat rack and he followed her into the living room.

"Have a seat."

Jack sat down on the sofa as Kerry sat down at the other end and clasped her hands in her lap.

"I was glad to find out that you and Sam finally married."

"Thanks."

"Marriage agrees with you, Jack. You look happy."

Jack grinned. "I am happy. Very happy."

Kerry looked away as he stared at her.

"So what's this about?"

Kerry sighed. "I've run so many scenarios through my head of how to tell you this but there is no easy way so I'll just show you."

Kerry stood up. "I'll be right back."

Jack glanced around the room as he waited.

When Kerry returned, Jack looked up to see that she was holding a baby.

Kerry sat back down, put the sleeping baby on her lap and carefully unfolded a pink blanket.

"Jack, this is Emily. She's your daughter."

Jack stared at the sleeping child.

"Your? What do you mean _your_ daughter?"

"You're her father."

Jack's eyes grew wide. "I can't . . . what?"

Kerry gently stroked Emily's head. "Not long after I came to tell you goodbye in your office that day, I found out I was pregnant."

Jack stared at her for several seconds. "No offense, but what makes you think she's mine?"

"I had broken off a relationship about four months before the CIA relocated me to Colorado Springs concerning the incident with The Trust and I didn't date anyone else during that time. I haven't been with any other man since you. I was beginning to fall in love with you but I could see that you were in love with Sam and I'm not the kind of person that would try to come between you and the woman I knew you loved. I wanted to get out before I got hurt so I knew it was best to end our relationship before it went any further. Soon after that, I started feeling nauseated, I was throwing up a lot and I was tired all the time."

Kerry paused for a moment. "I certainly understand if you would like to have a paternity test."

Jack stared at the baby. "Weren't you using birth control when we were together?"

"I was but apparently it didn't work."

"How old is she?"

"She's three months. I loved this baby from the minute the doctor confirmed that I was pregnant. I had always wanted kids so I would never have an abortion."

Jack stood up and began to pace, anger rising inside him. He stopped pacing and put his hands on his hips. "You say this is my daughter and you're just now telling me? You should have told me when you found out you were pregnant!"

Tears filled Kerry's eyes. "I thought about telling you but . . . Jack, I knew you were in love with Sam and that wasn't going to change. I knew you would never love me that way and I thought if you knew about the baby, you would have felt obligated to stand by me and it might have ruined your relationship with Sam and I knew the situation would tear us all apart. I didn't want you to feel any kind of obligation toward me so I thought I'd raise the baby on my own and you would never know about her. I'm so sorry, Jack."

Kerry quickly wiped her eyes and tried not to cry as Jack sat back down.

Finally turning his head, he looked at her. "You're right. I would have felt obligated."

"That's why I told very few people that you're Emily's father. I didn't want word to get back to you that I was carrying your child. I didn't want you to marry me when I knew you would never love me. Major Davis told me that you and Sam had married and I didn't want to ruin your lives and I didn't want you to feel financially obligated toward me."

"Kerry, I'm not the kind of man who runs from responsibility. We could have come to some kind of arrangement. During the time you and I were together, Sam was engaged to Pete so she and I had no claims on each other. She would have understood that this happened during that time. It would have been hard for all three of us but we could have worked out something."

Kerry shook her head. "The more I went over it in my head, the more confused I became. I just didn't know what to do."

Emily awoke and started to cry.

Kerry stood up. "I need to feed her. This shouldn't take long."

Jack walked over to the window, put his hands in his pockets and looked outside as snow continued to fall.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate today on his job, he got his phone from his pocket and called Colonel Reynolds to tell him that he was in charge of the base for the rest of the day.

Jack put the phone back in his pocket and ran his hand over his face, trying to comprehend this unexpected and very upsetting news.

His thoughts turned to Sam. He didn't know how she would react when she found out, but he couldn't think about that right now.

Wandering over to a bookshelf, he noticed a picture of Kerry. She was sitting on a hospital bed, holding a sleeping infant. Apparently, the picture had been taken shortly after Emily's birth.

He stared at the baby and remembered when Charlie was born. He had been overseas and had made it home just two days before Sara had gone into labor.

He could still remember holding this tiny baby that he and Sara had created and the overwhelming love that filled his heart.

When Kerry came back into the room, she saw Jack looking at the picture and he turned to face her.

"So, why now? Why did you wait until now to say anything?"

Kerry could hear the tension in Jack's voice so she avoided looking at him and looked at the floor.

"Kerry, tell me."

She raised her head and looked into his eyes. "I'm dying, Jack."

He stared at her for several seconds, not sure if he had heard her correctly. "What?"

"I have acute lymphocytic leukemia. The doctors have done everything they can do. It's terminal."

"How did you find this out?"

Kerry sat back down so Jack did too.

"When Emily was born, a friend of mine had lost her job so I hired her to take care of Emily when I was at work. Shortly after her birth, I started getting tired easily. I thought it was just part of being a working mother and trying to do so much but other symptoms began to appear: fever, pain in my joints, shortness of breath and other things. My friend urged me to see a doctor and that's how I found out. The oncologist put me on different combinations of drugs but the latest test results from a week ago show that the drugs are not working. I'm getting worse instead of better. Because of Emily, I wanted to know how long the doctor thinks I will live and he told me a few months or less."

Jack could hardly believe what he was hearing. "I'm sorry."

She looked down at her hands. "Me too. I won't live to see our daughter grow up."

"So you weren't going to tell me about Emily if you had not gotten sick?"

Kerry shook her head. "No. You would have never known."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to take her, Jack. She's your daughter. She belongs with her Father. I don't want anyone else to have her. I'm sorry I didn't tell you until now about the pregnancy and her birth and I don't mean to put a strain on your marriage but I have no other choice."

Jack stared at Kerry and realized how desperate she was to be sure that Emily was taken care of after she was gone.

"I have something to show you."

He watched as Kerry went down the hall and into a bedroom. She came back and sat down beside him and he could see that she was holding a photo album.

"When Emily was born, I immediately started taking pictures."

She opened the album to reveal a picture of Emily sleeping on her back with her arms stretched out.

Jack felt this rush of emotion come over him. "How old was she?"

Kerry tried not to cry. "One week."

Jack turned the pages to reveal various pictures of Emily by herself and pictures of Kerry with Emily.

On one page was a picture of an older woman sitting in a chair holding Emily and behind her stood a tall man.

"That's my parents" Kerry explained. "They had me when they were in their thirties and I'm their only child. They're now in their sixties. They love Emily so much but after a lot of discussion, we decided that because of their ages and various health problems, they cannot take care of Emily. That's when I knew it was best to get in touch with you. Will you take her, Jack? Please? She belongs with her Dad."

Jack sighed deeply. "I want to but I have to talk with Sam."

"I know."

They sat in silence as Jack turned the pages of the album.

"Jack, if I die soon, Emily won't remember me."

Jack looked at Kerry as she stopped to wipe her eyes and she continued.

"If Emily grows up thinking that Sam is her Mother, then that's okay with me. I will leave it up to you to decide if you will tell Emily about me when she's old enough to understand. I do hope Sam will adopt her. I just want our daughter to feel loved, happy and secure."

Jack took Kerry's hand in his. "I think it would be best if Emily does know about you."

Kerry gently smiled. "Thank you."

Just as Jack closed the album, they heard Emily start to cry so Kerry went to get her. When she returned she set Emily on Jack's lap.

Emily stared into his eyes and slowly began to smile.

Jack grinned. "Hi there."

Kerry gently brushed her finger against Emily's cheek. "I think she looks like you."

"What's her full name?"

"Emily Michelle Johnson. Emily is my Mom's middle name and I've always liked the name Michelle. I'm sure you will want to change her last name though."

Emily continued to stare at Jack as she tried to stick her tiny fist in her mouth.

"She likes you already, Jack."

Jack smiled. "She's beautiful."

Kerry wrapped her hand around Emily's tiny foot. "This is your Dad, sweetheart. He will take very good care of you."

Kerry reached under the coffee table in front of the sofa and picked up a briefcase. As she opened it, Jack noticed a stack of papers and envelopes.

"You'll need this."

"What is all that?"

"Emily's birth certificate and various other things."

Kerry pulled an envelope from the bottom of the stack and stared at it. "These are my funeral arrangements. My parents have a copy of this also."

Jack didn't know what to say. It was upsetting enough to find out that he had a baby daughter but to learn that the Mother of his daughter was going to die soon was too much to think about right now.

Kerry closed the briefcase and set it on the floor.

Emily started to whimper so Kerry took her from Jack to put her to bed.

Kerry returned to find Jack at the window. Walking up beside him, she crossed her arms.

"Sam is going to hate me for doing this to her."

"Sam isn't like that, Kerry. Yes, she'll be upset but she won't hate you. We can discuss this later but I need to talk with Sam. She's at the Academy right now and . . ."

"I understand, Jack. You need some time to yourself to absorb all this."

"I'll call you later."

Kerry followed Jack to the door and he put on his coat. She watched as he got into his truck and backed out of the driveway.

Kerry closed the door, went to Emily's room and stared at her as she slept. Kerry leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I don't want to leave you, sweetheart" she whispered as she burst into tears.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jack headed to Cheyenne Mountain State Park to have some time to think.

Pulling off the road into a parking area, he drove into a space and turned off the motor.

As he sat staring out the windshield and watched snowflakes float around in the frigid air, he couldn't remember a time when his life had been better. Sam was his whole world and they were extremely happy but telling her about Emily's birth and Kerry's probable death was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever done. He had no clue what this would do to their marriage. He knew that Sam was a sensible person but how she would react to the news that he had another child, a child that wasn't hers, he didn't know.

Just a few weeks ago, they had been talking in bed one night. Sam had her head on his shoulder with her arm across his chest and his arm was wrapped around her back when the subject of babies came up. Sam had started to cry because she had not gotten pregnant yet. He had told her that maybe they just had to be patient but as they talked a while longer, they came to the realization that maybe they would never have children. After Sam had finally fallen asleep, he stared into the darkness, wishing that Sam could experience motherhood. They had not discussed having children since then.

Feeling the cool air beginning to settle in his truck, he started the engine and drove home.

Entering the house, he took off his jacket and threw it on the back of a chair. Walking over to the sofa, he sat down and stretched out his legs and leaned back. Staring at the ceiling, he thought about Kerry. The day that she had come to his office to tell him goodbye, he knew it had been for the best. He had enjoyed their time together but she had just been a distraction from the hurt he felt about Sam and Pete. He liked Kerry but knew he would never care for her the way he did Sam and he had felt relieved when she had walked out of his life that day.

Sitting up straight, he jumped when his phone rang.

Getting the phone out of his pocket and seeing that it was Sam, he felt nervous so he let it ring a few times before he answered.

"Hi, Sam."

"Hey, Jack. I had a break between classes so I thought I'd call and see what happened with Kerry."

Sam heard only silence for a few moments.

"Jack, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here. We'll talk when you get home."

"You don't want to tell me now?"

"No. We can't discuss this over the phone."

"This sounds serious."

"It is."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

"Sam."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Jack."

**~oOo~**

Lunch time had come and gone but he had been too nervous to eat.

As he now sat staring at the television, his thoughts turned to Emily. From the moment that Kerry had placed her on his lap, he had fallen in love. She was a beautiful baby with dark hair and brown eyes. He couldn't help but smile when her tiny dimples had appeared as she stared at him and grinned.

He and Sara had wished for a daughter after having Charlie. After Charlie died and he and Sara divorced, he thought he would never get to be a dad again.

His heart jumped to his throat when he heard the door open. Quickly turning off the television, he stood up.

Sam came through the door, set down her briefcase, laid her purse and keys on the hallway table and hung up her coat.

She came walking toward him and Jack looked at the floor. He ran his hand over the back of his neck as Sam stared at him.

Finally looking up at her, he motioned with his hand.

"Have a seat."

Sam sat down on the edge of the sofa and stared at Jack for several seconds. "Jack, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

Jack sat down beside her. "I have something to tell you and I don't quite know how . . ."

"I don't think I'm going to like this but tell me anyway."

Jack took Sam's hands in his. "I saw Kerry."

"And?"

"Two things."

"Which are?"

"Kerry is sick and probably doesn't have long to live."

Sam's eyes grew wide. "What's wrong?"

"She has leukemia."

"Oh no. I'm so sorry."

Jack held her hands tighter.

"What's the other thing?"

Jack kept his eyes on their hands. "She has a baby, Sam. My baby."

Sam stared at Jack for several seconds and felt as if she could hardly breathe. "_Your_ baby?"

Jack looked into her eyes. "During the time you were with Pete and I was with Kerry, she got pregnant."

"Are you sure it's yours?"

"Pretty certain. Kerry had ended a relationship a few months before we met and she hasn't been with anyone since me."

Sam's eyes darted around the room. "How old is the baby?"

"She's three months."

"A little girl."

"Yes, a little girl. Kerry wasn't going to tell me about the baby at all if she had not gotten sick, but now that she knows she doesn't have long to live, she wants me to take her."

Sam's eyes filled with tears and she suddenly pulled her hands from Jack's, stood up and turned around. Heading to the door, Jack followed her. Sam got her coat from the closet and quickly put it on.

"Where are you going?"

"I need time to think."

"Please don't go, Sam, we need to talk."

Sam grabbed her purse and keys and went out the door.

Jack watched as she hurried to the car and got inside. Not bothering to put on her seatbelt, she started the car, quickly put it in gear and sped off down the street.

Jack closed the door and sat down in a chair. Placing his elbows on his knees, he covered his face with his hands.

**~oOo~**

Sam drove for a few miles but when tears blurred her vision, she quickly pulled to the side of the road. The car skidded in the slippery snow and finally came to a stop.

Putting her hands over her face, she began to sob.

Her thoughts went back to a night not long ago when she and Jack were talking in bed and she began to cry because she had not yet gotten pregnant. Jack had tried to tell her that they just had to be patient but she had told him she wasn't getting any younger and, although she hated to face it, there was the strong possibility that she would never have a child.

Over the years that she and Jack had worked together and she had fallen in love with him, she had often daydreamed about how wonderful it would be to have Jack as the father of her children.

When she had finally gone with Jack to his cabin, she stood in the yard and pictured him sitting on the dock beside the pond with their son or daughter, teaching him or her to fish.

Since they had married, she often imagined having a little girl that she could do all those mother-daughter things with, a little girl with blonde hair and brown eyes that would have Jack wrapped around her little finger.

Other times she pictured a little boy, a son that would have Jack's deep dimples and mischievous grin. A little boy that would sit on her lap as she read him a story before putting him to bed and Jack would teach him to play hockey and baseball.

Since she had not gotten pregnant as quickly as she had hoped, she tried not to think about it too much but tried to dwell on the good things in her life. She was married to a man that she loved with every fiber of her being, a man she knew she would be in love with for the rest of her days. She had a rewarding career, good friends, a close relationship with her brother and so many other things that she was thankful for, but the one thing that would make her life totally complete would be to have Jack's child.

Sam wiped her eyes as she stared out the window, realizing that this was a situation where no one was to blame. She and Pete had been engaged when Jack was with Kerry and he certainly had not known that he was going to father Kerry's baby.

She closed her eyes and thought that if she had not gotten involved with Pete, Jack might not have gotten involved with Kerry.

She knew that Kerry was doing what she felt was best for her baby and she could not imagine how Kerry must feel, knowing that she would not live to see her daughter grow up.

Opening her eyes, she realized it was starting to get dark and she should not be out in this dangerous weather. The roads were getting icy and she knew Jack would be worried if she did not return home soon.

Carefully turning the car around, she headed back to the house. As she drove up the driveway, Jack was looking out the front window, anxiously waiting for her to return.

Coming into the house, Jack held the door open for her but she didn't look at him as he closed the door. She lay down her purse and keys and removed her coat.

Jack could see that she had been crying a lot as he followed her to the kitchen. He watched as she got a drink of water and set the glass in the sink.

Sam turned to face him and crossed her arms as she stared at the floor.

Jack came walking slowly toward her but stood a few feet away. "Are you mad at me?"

Sam shook her head as she tried not to cry. "No. I just . . . I wanted you to have a baby with me, not . . . someone else."

As Sam burst into tears, Jack took three quick steps and enfolded her in his arms and they stood in silence for several moments.

Sam finally let go and looked into Jack's eyes. "I only have myself to blame."

Jack frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"Maybe if I hadn't gotten engaged to Pete, you wouldn't have gotten involved with Kerry."

"Sam, no one is to blame. Even if you had not met Pete I would still have probably met Kerry. When I was seeing her, I was still your CO so we couldn't have had a relationship. That's in the past and we can't change what has happened."

Jack took her by the hand and they sat down together.

Sam wiped her eyes. "I just wish Kerry had told you about this sooner."

"I do too but she was trying to do what she thought was right. She knew that I was in love with you and she wasn't going to try to come between us, especially when she knew that I would never love her the way I love you. But now that she thinks she will die, she wants to do what's best for the baby."

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Emily. How do you feel about all this?"

Sam sighed. "I don't really know since I haven't had a lot of time to think about it. But, under the circumstances, what other choice do we have? Since you're Emily's Dad, she belongs with you."

"I don't expect you to love Emily the moment you see her, this is going to be a big adjustment for us both."

Jack paused for a moment.

"Kerry mentioned to me that if you want to adopt Emily as your own and we never tell her who her birth mother was, then she's okay with that but I think Emily should know, when she's old enough to understand.

Sam wiped her eyes. "I agree. Have you thought about contacting the Tok'ra or Thor to see if they could help Kerry?"

"It ran through my head but, as you know, we haven't been in touch with Thor or the Tok'ra since your Dad died. Since the Tok'ra change planets so often, we might not be able to find them but it's worth a try."

"I just think Kerry deserves a chance to live if there's any way possible. I can't imagine what she's going through."

"Thanks for understanding. I know this is such a surprise for both of us, but I really want to do what's best for Emily."

"I know and you're going to be great with her."

Jack gently put his hand to her cheek. "We're not giving up on having our own child, Sam. That's a promise."

Tears filled Sam's eyes again as she put her arms around Jack and hugged him tightly.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jack stood at the kitchen window in the early morning light, sipping a cup of coffee, as he looked out at the backyard. He watched the birds as they ran from one side of the yard to the other, trying to find something to eat in the snow.

Wrapping his fingers around the warm cup, he sighed deeply. He knew this situation with Kerry had upset Sam greatly, but he also knew that she would put aside her feelings and do what was best for Emily. Sam's kindness was one of the things he had loved about her since they had first met. He had witnessed the love and attention that Sam had shown Cassie when they had brought her to Earth and watching her then, he knew that someday she would be a great mother to her own children. He looked down at the coffee as he shook his head, wondering how he had gotten so lucky to have Samantha Carter fall in love with him, marry him and want to have his child.

As he turned around and leaned against the counter, he looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway, barefoot and in her bathrobe, watching him.

They stared at each other for a few moments until Sam came toward him. He set down the cup and held out his hand. Sam walked to him, put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest.

He hugged her, kissed the top of her head and whispered "I love you, Samantha."

Tears moistened Sam's eyes as she looked into Jack's face. "I love you too."

He held her tighter as she put her head back on his chest.

"Are we okay, Sam?"

Sam closed her eyes and nodded her head as she tried not to cry.

**~oOo~**

Sam sat at the breakfast table, eating a piece of toast, while looking outside as the bright sunshine glistened on the snow.

Today was Saturday so she was glad she didn't have to go to work. After finding out that Jack had another child, she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate on teaching today.

Jack had left the house to tell Kerry that they would take Emily. He had asked her to come with him but she couldn't face Kerry just yet. She felt sorry for Kerry but seeing her, Jack and Emily together would be too much.

Although she knew that Jack loved her, she couldn't help feeling jealous.

She stood up and went into the living room and stared at the Christmas tree. She had just put all the lights on it when Kerry had first called but now she wasn't in the mood to finish the decorations.

Wandering into the bedroom, she sat down on the side of the bed and began to cry. Just as she was trying to compose herself, the doorbell rang.

Going to the door and opening it, she tried to smile at her friend.

"Hi, Daniel."

Daniel stared at her. "You've been crying. Are you okay?"

Sam motioned for Daniel to come in and she closed the door.

"What brings you by?"

"I brought the book you asked me about that you wanted to read" he answered as he handed it to her and took off his coat.

"Oh, I forgot about that. Thanks."

Daniel threw his jacket on a chair and they sat down on the sofa as Sam laid the book on the coffee table.

"What's going on?"

Sam took a deep breath. "Jack and I . . . well . . . we got some news yesterday."

"I'm assuming it was bad news."

"Jack got a call from Kerry Johnson night before last."

"That's a surprise. What did she want?"

"She has a baby, Daniel. Jack's baby."

Daniel stared at her. "What?"

"As you know, I was engaged to Pete when Jack was seeing Kerry."

"Yes, I knew that but Kerry ended it when she figured out that Jack was in love with you. Why is she just now telling you and Jack about a baby?"

"She has leukemia and doesn't have long to live."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"The baby's name is Emily and she's three months old. Kerry wants Jack to take her."

"So, she wasn't going to tell Jack about the baby if she had not gotten sick?"

Sam shook her head. "No."

"What does Jack think about all this?"

"He's just as shocked as I am."

"Do you want to take the baby?"

"We really have no choice. You know how much Jack loves kids and he isn't about to turn his back on his own child and I don't want him to. We just wish Kerry had told us she was pregnant when she first found out."

"Where is Jack?"

"He went to tell Kerry that we'll take Emily."

"Did he want you to go with him?"

Tears filled Sam's eyes. "Yes, but I just can't face Kerry yet. This is such a shock and . . ."

"You wanted to be the one to have a child with Jack."

Sam wiped her eyes and nodded her head.

"You still can, Sam. I know how much you and Jack love each other so don't give up."

"I won't. I'm trying to be reasonable about this but it's hard."

"I'm sure it is. Taking another woman's baby into your life will be a big adjustment, even if Jack is her father."

They heard the door open and looked up to see Jack come inside but he didn't take off his coat.

"Daniel, how are you?"

"I'm good."

"I guess Sam told you about Kerry and Emily."

"Yes, she did."

Sam stood up. "How did it go?"

"It went okay. Kerry's relieved that Emily will be taken care of if she doesn't live. I just came by to tell you that I need to get to the Mountain to see if I can get in touch with Thor or the Tok'ra. I'll see you later."

Sam quickly walked to Jack, gave him a hug and he kissed her on the cheek.

As Sam and Daniel watched Jack go out the door, Daniel frowned. "Why is Jack trying to get in touch with them?"

"To see if they can heal Kerry."

"Oh, well that makes sense."

"Want to stay for lunch? I'd like your company."

Daniel grinned. "Sure."

**~oOo~**

Jack arrived at the base and hurried inside. After talking with Reynolds to get an update on what had been happening there, he called Walter into his office. He sat down at his desk as Walter came through the door.

"Sir?"

"I need to find Thor or the Tok'ra. Do we know the last planet the Tok'ra was on?"

"I don't remember, sir. It's been quite a while since we've heard from them."

"It's urgent that I speak with one or both of them."

"Yes sir. I'll see what I can do."

Walter hurried away as Jack stared at the stack of work on his desk that needed his attention.

An hour later, Jack called Sam to tell her that he might be a little late getting home because of all the paperwork he needed to finish and he had a meeting with the team leaders that he thought would take some time.

After Jack called, Sam sat in a chair with a blanket over her legs, trying to concentrate on the book that Daniel had brought her, when the doorbell rang.

Throwing back the blanket, she quickly put her feet in her shoes and stood up. "Who can that be?"

Opening the door, she came to an abrupt halt when she saw who was there.

"Kerry."

"Hi, Sam. Could I talk with you for a few minutes please?"

"Uh . . . okay."

As Kerry came into the house, Sam remembered that the last time she had seen Kerry, she had long hair but it was now cut short.

"Could I take your coat?" Sam asked as she closed the door.

When Kerry removed her coat, Sam noticed how thin she was.

As Sam hung up Kerry's coat, her mind drifted back to that terrible day when she came to pour out her heart to Jack about her feelings for him and to tell him about her ambivalence about her upcoming wedding to Pete. When Kerry came out of the house, her heart had fallen to her feet and she wished she could sink into the ground. She had been totally surprised to find Kerry there with Jack.

Kerry followed Sam into the living room and the women sat down.

"Who's keeping Emily?"

"She's with my parents."

Kerry clasped her hands in her lap and looked into Sam's eyes.

"After I saw Jack this morning, I wanted to see you."

"Does Jack know you were coming by?"

Kerry shook her head. "No. He had told me that after you were married that you had sold your house and moved into his so I knew where to find you. Before he left my house he said he had to get to his job at the base so I took a chance that he wouldn't be here. I wanted to speak with you in private."

"Okay."

"I want to thank you for your willingness to take Emily. I guess I should have probably told Jack when I first found out I was pregnant but after giving it a lot of thought, I just felt that it was best that Jack never find out and I didn't want you to hate me."

Sam started to say something but Kerry held up her hand. "Please . . . let me finish."

Kerry paused for a moment. "When I first started my assignment with the CIA, they gave me lots of files to read to bring me up-to-date on the Stargate program so I knew that you and Jack had worked together for a long time. When you came here to see Jack that day and I walked out of the house to find you standing there, I knew by the looks on your faces that I had interrupted a conversation that should have happened between you two long ago. After you got the phone call about your father, Jack and I sat down to eat. He could hardly look at me and I knew his mind was on you. He wanted to go back to the base so I didn't try to stop him. I knew then that what we had started between us was over, so the next day I went into Jack's office and broke it off with him and I encouraged him to do something about your relationship."

"You had started to love Jack."

Tears filled Kerry's eyes. "Yes, I was beginning to fall in love with him but I thought that you had probably loved each other for years. I knew he would never love me the way he loved you so it was best to end it. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do."

Kerry wiped her eyes. "Jack is a wonderful, intelligent, kind, funny and handsome man. Men like him don't come along very often so I hope you know how fortunate you are to have him."

Sam gently smiled. "Believe me, I do."

"He's going to be great with Emily. I can already tell."

"I'm sure he will. Jack loves kids."

"I didn't mean to upset you with all this but I have to do what's best for my baby."

"I understand."

"Most women wouldn't be as accepting of another woman's child."

"Kerry, I'm not this perfect person who always does the right thing, but there is a baby involved here and we need to do what's best for her. I get that. I really do."

"But you wish Jack had a child with you instead of me."

"Yes I do and I don't deny it."

"I would feel the same way. If our roles were reversed, I'm not so sure I'd be handling this as maturely as you are. I really hope you and Jack have a baby. Emily would probably like to have a little brother or sister."

"Do you have a picture of her?"

"Of course."

Kerry opened her purse and handed Sam a picture of Emily in a little white dress.

Sam took the picture and stared at Emily. "She looks like Jack."

"Yes, she does. Jack said she reminds him of Charlie."

Sam handed the picture back to Kerry.

"It's good that you told Jack about Emily. Whenever he talks about Charlie, which is rare, I can tell that there's still an emptiness inside him that hasn't gone away. Maybe having Emily will help fill that void."

"That would be good."

"I'm really very sorry this is happening to you."

"I've come to accept it, Sam. I don't like it, but I've accepted it."

"Let's not give up hope that something can be done for you."

"Thank you. I should be going."

The women stood up, Sam followed Kerry to the door and got her coat for her.

As Kerry slipped on her coat, she turned to Sam.

"Thank you for seeing me."

"You're welcome."

Tears filled Kerry's eyes. "Please take my daughter into your heart. She's going to need a mother's love."

Kerry began to cry as she opened the door and Sam watched as she got into her car and drove away.

Sam closed the door as tears started down her face.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jack finally made contact with the Asgard, but when he asked to speak with Thor, he was told that he had been killed in an explosion on one of the Asgard ships several months ago. Just as Jack was about to ask for their help, the connection suddenly failed and Walter tried to get it back but had no success.

Walter had also tried every way he could think of to locate the Tok'ra but contact had not been made. Jack suspected that they had gone underground, making it impossible to find their location.

**~oOo~**

Sam knew that Jack had been talking with Kerry every day. He had been by her house a few times to see her and Emily and he had met Kerry's parents.

Two weeks went by and Kerry had been feeling even more tired and weak so her mother had insisted that she and Emily stay with her and Kerry's dad.

Coming home from work one afternoon, Sam parked in the driveway as Jack drove up beside her.

They got out of their vehicles, gave each other a quick kiss and went inside.

Sam held Jack's hands in hers. "Honey, you look so tired."

"Trying to do my job, checking in with Kerry every day and trying to find the Tok'ra is wearing me down."

"I'm sorry. How was Kerry today?"

"Not well. When I called, her Mom answered the phone and told me that Kerry was asleep. Mrs. Johnson started to cry. She's so afraid they're going to lose her. I could hear Emily crying in the background so we didn't talk but a minute. I don't know what else to do to help her, Sam."

"You've done everything you can think of. I'll fix us something to eat and you need to go to bed early. You need some rest. Since it's Friday and you have the weekend off, you can sleep late tomorrow."

Jack sighed. "Sounds good to me."

**~oOo~**

The next morning, Jack and Sam were awakened when Jack's cell phone rang.

Jack opened his eyes and raised up on his elbow as he picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Jack, this is Kerry's Mom. Kerry is having trouble breathing so we've called an ambulance to take her to Penrose Hospital."

"I'll meet you there."

"Okay. Bye."

Jack hung up the phone as Sam set up.

"What's wrong?"

Jack threw back the covers, got out of bed and started to get dressed. "That was Mrs. Johnson. They've called an ambulance to take Kerry to Penrose. She's having trouble breathing."

Sam got out of bed. "I'll come with you."

As Jack and Sam hurried into the emergency room of the hospital, Jack saw Kerry's Dad sitting in the waiting room and holding Emily as she slept on his shoulder.

As Jack walked toward him, Sam slowed her pace when she realized that she was about to meet Emily for the first time.

Jack glanced back at Sam and knew what was about to happen. He stopped and took her hand and they approached Kerry's Dad.

"Mr. Johnson."

The gray haired man looked up and Jack could see how worried he looked.

"Hello, Jack."

Jack let go of Sam's hand and sat down beside him.

"How's Kerry?" Jack asked.

"Not good. Her Mom is with her."

"This is my wife, Sam."

"Hi."

"Hello, sir."

Sam sat down beside Jack as Mr. Johnson started to put Emily on his lap.

"Would you like for me to hold her?"

"Yes, please. My arms were getting a little tired" Mr. Johnson replied as he placed the baby in Jack's arms.

Several moments passed and Mr. Johnson sat staring at the floor. "Why did this have to happen now, Jack, right here at Christmas?"

"I don't know, sir. I wish I had an answer for you."

As the men talked, a nurse hurried toward them.

"Mr. Johnson, come with me please."

Mr. Johnson quickly stood up and pointed to the diaper bag on the floor. "Emily's things are in there if she gets hungry or needs changing."

Jack and Sam watched Mr. Johnson hurry away.

They sat in silence and Sam stared at Emily.

Sam glanced at Jack. "May I hold her?"

"Sure."

As Sam held Emily, she put her finger in Emily's tiny hand. Even in sleep, Emily gripped Sam's finger.

"She looks like you."

Jack shook his head. "Poor kid."

Sam grinned. "I meant that as a compliment. She's beautiful."

Emily awoke and started to cry so Jack opened the diaper bag and picked up a bottle of milk. "Maybe she's hungry."

Jack stared at Sam as he watched her feed Emily.

"Thank you."

"For what, Jack?"

"For not getting too upset with me when I told you I have a daughter. For being kind to Kerry when she came to see you. For accepting Emily into our lives. For just being you."

Sam leaned over and kissed Jack's cheek. "You're welcome."

After Emily finished eating, Sam put Emily on her shoulder to burp her. "I think this is what you're supposed to do after a baby eats."

Jack grinned. "Yes, it is. You're getting the hang of this already."

"I hope so."

As they sat talking, a nurse came walking toward them.

"I'm so sorry to tell you but Ms. Johnson just passed away."

Jack and Sam stared at the nurse in disbelief for several moments.

Jack turned to Sam and she could see that Jack was trying not to cry. "If you'll keep Emily, I'll go check with Kerry's parents to see if there's anything I can do."

As Jack stood and started down the long corridor, Sam looked down at Emily and a teardrop fell on Emily's hand.

**~oOo~**

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson's neighbor volunteered to keep Emily while they were at Kerry's funeral.

At the church, Jack and Sam sat behind Kerry's parents. As Sam listened to a minister speak, she turned her head and noticed Jack staring at the floor. She slowly reached over and held his hand in hers.

After the service was over, Jack and Sam headed to their car to join the procession to the cemetery.

When they got inside, Sam looked at Jack.

"Are you okay?"

Jack didn't speak for a moment. "It's just . . . it's just so unfair, Sam. I mean, I know people die from cancer every day but Kerry was young and healthy and she ate right and she exercised. She took good care of herself and then to get this dreadful disease that took her life. Emily will never know how much Kerry loved her.

"No, it isn't fair and the best thing we can do for Kerry, and Kerry's parents, is to love Emily."

After Kerry's burial, Jack and Sam joined a group of people at Kerry's parents' home. Mr. Johnson asked Jack and Sam to stay until everyone was gone so that they could talk with them in private.

After everyone else had left, they gathered in the living room. Jack and Sam sat on a sofa, Mr. Johnson sat in a chair and Mrs. Johnson sat in a rocking chair, holding Emily.

Sam could see how exhausted Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were and Sam realized that Kerry's parents were now in the same position as Jack. They had lost their only daughter just as Jack had lost his only son.

Mr. Johnson glanced back and forth between Jack and Sam. "We know that Kerry wanted you to have custody of Emily and rightfully so since you're her Father. We don't have to do this right now, but we would like to make arrangements with you where we could see Emily as often as we can."

Jack looked at Sam for confirmation and she nodded her head. "That's agreeable with us, sir. If it's okay with you, we'd like for you to keep Emily for a day or two until we have time to get baby furniture in our house."

Mr. Johnson nodded his head. "That's fine, Jack."

"Is there anything else you need to discuss with us?" Sam asked.

"There probably is, Sam, but we're both too tired to think straight right now" Mrs. Johnson answered.

Jack and Sam stood up and Mr. and Mrs. Johnson followed them to the door.

As Sam watched, Jack leaned over and kissed Emily on her cheek.

**~oOo~**

One month later, Jack parked his truck in the driveway. He hurried inside the house but didn't see Sam so he headed to the nursery and as he came closer, he heard singing. He peeked into the room to see Sam sitting in the rocking chair, slowly rocking Emily and singing softly as Emily stared into Sam's eyes.

Jack came into the room and Sam stopped singing, looked up at him and smiled.

He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "I didn't know you could sing."

Sam grinned. "Not very well I'm afraid but Emily seems to like it."

Jack took Emily from Sam and kissed her forehead. "Hey, sweetie. How's our girl?"

Emily grinned and waved her arms.

"What did the President say when you told him you were retiring?" Sam asked as she stood up.

"He didn't like it at first but after I explained what happened with Kerry and Emily, he understands. Colonel Reynolds will be in charge of the base until the Joint Chiefs decide who will replace me."

"Emily is going to love having you take care of her while I'm at the Academy."

Jack smiled. "It's such a relief, Sam. I won't have the responsibility of my job any more and I'll get to spend all my time with both of you."

Jack turned to leave the room with Emily resting her head on his chest as Sam started to smile.

"Jack?"

He turned around to face her. "Yes?"

"Do you think you could handle looking after two kids?"

"Now why would I need to look after two . . ."

Sam started to giggle when Jack's eyes grew wide.

Jack took a step toward her. "Are you telling me?"

Sam nodded her head. "Yes! We're having a baby! I thought I might be pregnant but I didn't want to tell you until I was certain and my doctor confirmed it this morning!"

Jack shifted Emily, he put his arm around Sam and gave her a long hug.

"Oh, Sam, this is great! Emily will have a playmate."

Sam smiled as tears filled her eyes. "Yes, she will. Oh, Jack, I can hardly believe it. We've wanted a baby for so long and now we'll have two."

Jack smiled as he hugged her again.

**Six Years Later:**

Jack and Emily got out of the car and Emily glanced around.

"It's cold, Daddy. I want to get home. Grandpa and Grandma are coming and me and Grandma are going to make cookies and we're going to help Mom put stuff on the Christmas tree to make it pretty. Why are we here?"

Jack leaned over and buttoned the buttons on Emily's coat to help keep her warm.

"We won't stay long, honey, but there's something I want to show you."

Jack held Emily's hand as they walked down the long sidewalk of the cemetery. He stopped at the foot of a grave and Emily looked up at him.

"Do you remember not long ago when Sam and I explained to you that another woman had given birth to you?"

"Yes. You said she got really sick when I was a baby."

"That's right. Your Mom died six years ago today and since you now know about her, I thought I should bring you here and let you see where she's buried."

Emily stared at the headstone. "Why did she have to die?"

"I don't know why, sweetheart. The doctors did everything they could but nothing helped. Things like that just happen sometimes."

"From the pictures you showed me, I look like her."

"Yes, you do."

"Did she love me?"

"Yes, she loved you very much."

"It's kinda nice, Daddy."

"What is?"

"Well, I didn't know my first Mom but it's nice to know she loved me and I have my second Mom who 'dopted me and loves me too."

Jack smiled. "That's right, Sam adopted you and she loves you too."

"Does she love me as much as she loves Jake?"

"Yes. Jake came along not too long after we got you and your Mom loves you both very, very much."

Emily frowned. "Jake can be a pest sometimes."

Jack chuckled. "But deep in your heart, you love your little brother, don't you?"

Emily grinned. "Yeah, I guess I do."

They looked at the grave for a few moments in silence until Jack glanced at his watch. "We should be going. Sam will be worried if we're not home soon and we need to get out of this cold air."

Emily let go of Jack's hand and he watched as she walked up to the headstone, leaned over and kissed it.

"I wish I could remember you. Merry Christmas, Mommy."

Jack's eyes moistened with tears as Emily came back to him and took his hand.

"I'm ready to go now, Daddy."

Jack quickly wiped his eyes. "Okay."

"Can we come back again when it's not so cold?"

"Sure we can. Next time we'll bring some flowers and put them on your Mom's grave."

Emily smiled. "I'd like that and I bet she would too."

As they started back down the sidewalk, they suddenly stopped as big white flakes began to fall.

"It's snowing, Daddy!"

"Yes, it is."

"Can we build a snowman?"

"Maybe so."

"Will you take me and Jake sledding?"

"Maybe so."

"Can we go ice skating?"

"Maybe so."

"Can we make hot chocolate with marshmallows?"

"Maybe so."

Emily stopped and put her hands on her hips. "Can't you say anything besides 'maybe so'?"

Jack shrugged and grinned. "Maybe so."

"Daddy, you're silly!"

Emily giggled and ran to the car as Jack stood still and looked up at the cloudy sky. "You would be very proud of Emily, Kerry. She's a delightful, kind and smart young lady and Sam and I can't imagine our lives without her."

The End


End file.
